DE 102 44 021 A1 and DE 10 2007 026 812 A1 have each disclosed exhaust systems for an internal combustion engine in which a first group of cylinders of the internal combustion engine is assigned a first exhaust tract of the exhaust system, and a second group of cylinders of the internal combustion engine is assigned a second exhaust tract of the exhaust system. According to DE 102 44 021 A1, each exhaust tract of the exhaust system comprises an exhaust gas purification device, namely a catalytic converter, and two silencers arranged on the outlet side of the exhaust gas purification device, namely a first silencer arranged on the outlet side of the respective exhaust gas purification device and a second silencer arranged on the outlet side of the respective first silencer. The two exhaust tracts of the exhaust system are connected to one another by a connecting line, which provides a sound transmission device, the connecting line and hence the sound transmission device engaging on the exhaust tracts downstream of the exhaust gas purification devices and upstream of the first silencers, as seen in the direction of flow of the exhaust gas, and interconnecting them, more specifically in accordance with the position of a flap assigned to the connecting line and hence the sound transmission device. According to DE 10 2007 026 812 A1, there are two connecting lines or sound transmission devices, via which the exhaust tracts are coupled to one another.